Chicken Casserole Recipe

Well, if you're like me you really enjoy some good comfort food from time to time! I've found this delicious and simple to make chicken casserole that just hits the spot. Made with lots of yummy foods, well actually why don't you just watch my video and you'll see why I like this recipe...

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 6 oz. package long-grain and wild rice, cooked according to directions
• 4 C. diced cooked chicken breast
• 2 10.75 oz. cans cream of chicken soup
• 1 C. mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. curry powder, or to taste
• 1 8 oz. package Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Dressing Mix
• 1/4 C. (1/2 stick) butter
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the rice in a greased 2-quart casserole.
2. Layer the chicken on top of the rice.
3. Mix the soup, mayonnaise and curry powder and pour over the chicken.
4. Sprinkle the dressing mix over the casserole and dot with butter.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutues or until bubbly.

Bon Appetit!

If you are in the market to buy or sell your home in the Bethlehem or Dacula area, I would be happy to assist you! My passion is helping people find their dream home and stepping them through this exciting journey. I serve the Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett county areas. Call or text me today!

First-Time Home Buyer Tip: Should I Pay Off My Car First?

I get asked this question all the time:

SHOULD I PAY OFF MY CAR BEFORE I PURCHASE A HOME?

Well, I must say, I have a pretty specific answer to this...watch my video to find out :-)

If you are in the market to buy or sell your home in the Bethlehem or Dacula area, I would be happy to assist you! My passion is helping people find their dream home and stepping them through this exciting journey. I serve the Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett county areas. Call or text me today!

Wordless Wednesday: Spring Has Sprung!

Photos ©2009 Anne Rains Photography, All Rights Reserved.

If you are in the market to buy or sell your home in the Bethlehem or Dacula area, I would be happy to assist you! My passion is helping people find their dream home and stepping them through this exciting journey. I serve the Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett county areas. Call or text me today!

Home Maintenance Tips

Well, Spring has sprung and now it's time to get rid of the weeds, trim the bushes, plant flowers and work on home maintenance projects! I don't know about you, but I especially love this time of year...although it's hectic trying to balance all the normal everyday activities and add yard work to the mix. The warm weather and the colorful flowers making their way up through the dirt makes me want to organize and clean...to me this is when the new year begins, not January 1st.

I stumbled upon some great little projects to do this month that will keep your home in good shape:

• Inspect screens (both house and vent screens to attic or crawl space) for tears and bent frames.


• Clean window screens. Lay them flat on a picnic table or a pair of sawhorses and scrub them with a soft bristle brush and a mild detergent solution. Rinse with a garden hose and allow to dry thoroughly.


• Inspect outdoor structures for deterioration --especially signs of rot. Use a small awl to probe posts, railings and window sills for soft spots. If you find any, plan to replace or repair them when the weather turns fair.


• Prepare for the outdoor cooking season by inspecting gas grills. Remove cooking grills and thoroughly clean them with soapy water and a brush with brass bristles. Remove accumulated grease from lava rocks and ceramic briquettes by turning them over and igniting the burners. Allow 10 minutes on high heat to clean the briquettes.


• Inspect garden hoses for leaks. Make temporary repairs with electrical tape. Pry out old washers and replace them. Don't leave hoses connected to outdoor spigots until the danger of frost is completely over.


• Caulk open joints, particularly around windows and doors.


• Inspect the crawl space or basement after rains for water accumulation or excessive moisture. Look for signs of water damage on the subfloor and joists beneath bathrooms, the kitchen and laundry. Find and fix leaks now or pay the price later.


• Shut off the water to the washing machine, remove the water supply hoses and examine them and the washers. Replace worn and damaged ones.


• Check fire extinguishers to make sure they are not outdated, have lost pressure or are damaged.


• Check all weatherstripping around doors and windows for wear, damage or loss of flexibility. Replace material that is no longer blocking air.


• Clean your garbage disposal. Grind two trays of ice cubes made from a mixture of one cup white vinegar to one gallon of water.

Thank You for Reading!

If you are in the market to buy or sell your home in the Bethlehem or Dacula area, I would be happy to assist you! My passion is helping people find their dream home and stepping them through this exciting journey. I serve the Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett county areas. Call or text me today!

Photos ©2009 Anne Rains Photography, All Rights Reserved.

(Project ideas came from an article on Weather.com)

Roasted Red Pepper Soup: Yummy and Healthy!

While in Crested Butte, Colorado last week I had the best roasted red pepper soup at the slope-side restaurant, 9380 Prime. It had such a great flavor and it was so smooth, it was the perfect lunch. Well, when I got home I began craving it and decided to look on the Internet for a close replica. (I thought about first calling the restaurant and trying to beg the chef for the recipe but decided to try it on my own first!) I found a great recipe from the blog, Kerala Kitchen and decided to try it out...I wasn't let down, it was delicious and tastes almost exactly like 9380 Prime's version.

You can still see the steam from the picture; really it was absolutely delicious and you must give a try.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Large Red Bell Peppers
• 2 C. canned diced tomatoes
• 2 C. chicken stock
• 1 red onion
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp. fresh basil (I left this out and it still tasted great!)
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper (I used 1 tsp. for extra sharpness)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream (I actually used 3 Tbsp)\
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

WHAT TO DO:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the onion into 4 quarters. Seed the red peppers and cut lengthwise into two pieces. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil and place the red peppers skinside up. Fill the spaces with the onion pieces and the whole garlic cloves. (I recommend putting down a sheet of aluminum foil and then placing the olive oil and vegetables on top--easier clean up!!) Drizzle 1 Tbsp. olive oil on top of all the vegetables and roast for 20 minutes or until the peppers turn brown. Remove the skins of the peppers and chop into large pieces. Set aside with the onion and garlic.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken stock oregano and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the peppers, onion and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes. Then using a hand blender (or transfer to a regular blender), puree the mixture until it's smooth and an even texture. (The lady who wrote this recipe feels the soup tastes better if it's chunky, I disagree--I like the texture to be smooth, like a bisque). Return the puree back to the saucepan (if you used a blender) and add the sugar, black pepper and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes then remove the pot from the heat. Add heavy cream and stir in well. Garnish with basil and sour cream if you like.

I served it with a simple salad and chunks of french bread. Bon Appetit!

If you are in the market to buy or sell your home in the Bethlehem or Dacula area, I would be happy to assist you! My passion is helping people find their dream home and stepping them through this exciting journey. I serve the Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett county areas. Call or text me today!

Wordless Wednesday: A Ride in the Pinzgauer

©2009 Anne Rains Photography, All Rights Reserved.

If you are in the market to buy or sell your home in the Bethlehem or Dacula area, I would be happy to assist you! My passion is helping people find their dream home and stepping them through this exciting journey. I serve the Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett county areas. Call or text me today!

Sean's American Bistro: Excellent Restaurant in Buford, GA

Last night I had the privilege to eat at a great restaurant in Buford, Georgia for the RETechSouth dinner; it was Sean's American Bistro in the live, work, play community called Buford Village. The atmosphere was terrific, I met a bunch of neat people and the food and drinks were amazing!

In case you're unfamiliar with the Buford Village development, it is conveniently located on Buford Highway at the Hamilton Mill intersection. This multi-function community sits on ten acres and 30,000 square feet of office space, 23 luxury town homes and 55,000 square feet of retail shops. These stores and restaurants include: Sean's American Bistro, Carter Elite Photography, Cone 7 Wines, Brand Bank and Smith's Bath and Home.


So, dinner was great; we started out the evening with an hour of cocktails, networking and listening to the live band. Next we ate a delicious dinner...appetizers included bread, spinach and artichoke dip and BBQ shrimp. We had our choice between four various entrees, which I chose the Lobster Tortellini. Oh wow! This was excellent--it was pasta with a cream sauce and huge pieces of lobster with spinach, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes (which by the way, I don't eat mushrooms or tomatoes and this dish still tasted great without those ingredients)! We followed up dinner with cheesecake for dessert. :-)


If you have a chance, I would highly recommend checking out Sean's American Bistro and the shops at Buford Village. Very cool atmosphere and a neat experience. A big thanks goes out to Matt Fagioli and Brad Nix making this possible!

Thank You For Reading!

If you are in the market to buy or sell your home in the Bethlehem or Dacula area, I would be happy to assist you! My passion is helping people find their dream home and stepping them through this exciting journey. I serve the Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett county areas. Call or text me today!